Edict of Exile
The Edict of Exile (aka the America Edict, aka Edict of Kan’ei 11, aka the New Nippon Edict) was an edict proclaimed by the Shogun Tokugawa Iemitsu in January of 1634. =Text of the Edict= This edict is to be read aloud and posted in every place where it is customary to announce an edict. *1.The padres of the Christians have disturbed the tranquility of the realm by advocating the destruction of the shrines of the kami and the temples of the buddhas. Such cannot be permitted. *2. They also spread a pernicious doctrine to confuse the right ones, with the secret intent of changing the government of the country and giving ownership of the country to a European king. *3. However, we know from the example of the Dutch that it is possible to be Christian without acting outrageously. *4. Hence, the Japanese-born followers of the padres will be allowed to worship according to their conscience, and Japanese-born padres and brothers will be permitted to teach the Christian faith, but only in duly constituted Christian settlements in New Nippon, a land across the sea. *5. In order to be permitted to go to New Nippon, they must take oath, on pain of eternal punishment by the Father, Son and Holy Ghost, as well as by Saint Mary and all Angels and Saints, as follows: **a) they will not return to the homeland without permission of the shogun, or assist any Southern Barbarian in going to the homeland without permission of the shogun. **b) they will defend New Nippon against the Christian powers, obey the daimyos duly appointed by the shogun to govern them, and support their daimyos as is customary, save as they may be excused during the first years of settlement. **c) they will not oppress the worshipers of the buddhas and kamis, or the followers of Confucius, in that land, or prevent any Christian from renouncing that faith and returning to any of the traditional religions of Nippon. **d) they will repay the cost of their transportation to New Nippon as soon as is reasonable. **e) they will provide the inquisitors with any information they have as to the whereabouts of Christians still in hiding. *6. Those who timely accept exile, and cooperate with the authorities, will be permitted to take all of their possessions to New Nippon. Those who do not, will forfeit, depending on the circumstances, some or all of their possessions before being sent into exile, and will be required to work as servants, for an appropriate period of years, for those who behaved properly. *7. Any informer revealing the whereabouts of followers of padres that have not timely surrendered themselves must be rewarded accordingly. If anyone reveals the whereabouts of a high ranking padre, he must be given one hundred pieces of silver. For those of lower ranks, depending on the deed, the reward must be set accordingly. *8. Any apprehended padres who are Southern Barbarians shall stand surety with their lives for the good behavior of the followers permitted to go to New Nippon. If all goes well, then in twelve years they will be permitted to pay for their transport to a Southern Barbarian land. Any who afterward return will be executed in the most painful way imaginable. *9. Any Japanese-born followers of the padres who fail to take the oath, or to apostatize, within three years of this edict, are to be executed. *10. Books teaching the Christian faith may be taken or sent to New Nippon, but only if they are in the Japanese language, are offered for inspection by the inquisitors, and are found to not contain teachings contrary to the required oath. You are hereby required to act in accordance with the provisions set above. It is so ordered. Category:1632 series